MARTIN LEWIS, Money Saving Expert, reveals the best cheap mobile phone deals currently on the market which could slash the price of your bill.

Almost everybody in this day and age owns a mobile phone - many can’t cope without it - yet millions are overpaying, according to Money Saving Expert Martin.

People are overpaying either by letting contracts roll over and effecively paying for a phone they already own, or ust not searching for the best deals.

You can half the cost of your phone bill just by searching around for the best deals.

But to make things simpler, Martin has made your search easier and revealed the best money saving phone deals and contracts out at the moment.

Most shouldn’t pay more than £10 a month

The cheapest way to run a phone is usually to own it outright (if you can) and pair with a top sim. Data and call charges have massively dropped in recent years - that’s why we say the key benchmark cost for most users is £10 a month.

Start by estimating what allowances you need. Specialist free online tools such as Billmonitor will log in to your online phone account and analyse your bills to find your cheapest tariff. MobilePhoneChecker covers more networks.

Check for the best sim-only deals

They are increasingly popular due to their value and flexibility. You get a set amount of data, texts and calls for a fixed monthly price and they are usually cheapest.

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The cheapest way to run a phone is usually to own it outright (if you can) and pair with a top sim.

The best one for low users? Get 1.5GB of data (4G), 250 minutes and 5,000 texts for £5 a month on a 30-day rolling contract with Carphone-Warehouse-owned iD Mobile, which uses the Three network.

The best one for medium users? We’ve blagged 5GB of data (4G), 1,500 minutes and unlimited texts for £10 a month with this 30-day rolling contract with BT-owned Plusnet Mobile, for new and existing costs. It uses the EE network, and you have until next Tuesday to get it.

The best one for heavy users? Until Thursday, this blagged 12 month contract from BT Mobile gives massive 20GB of data (4G), unlimited minutes and texts (on EE) for £16 a month if you’ve got BT broadband, £21 a month if not. (To pay £16 a month click ‘got BT broadband at home’ in top right of page). You also get a £100 Amazon or iTunes voucher - annoyingly, BT won’t remind you so you must claim the voucher within two weeks to three months of sign-up.

Get £50 off the Samsung S8 or iPhone 7

These top-end handsets aren’t money saving, but if you get one anyway, do it as cheaply as possible. Discounts on newly launched handsets are rare, yet we’ve blagged £50 off the new Samsung S8 (released last Friday) AND the iPhone 7, from online retailer Unshackled.com.

Until Tuesday 9 May, use code MSE50 to take £50 off the upfront cost of either (when you clock through, select ‘outright’). This brings the Samsung S8 down to £639 and the 32GB iPhone 7 to £549, with next-day delivery included. (Unshackled says if you get the deal via a cutback site you won’t get any cashback).

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Martin Lewis: You shouldn't be paying more than £10 a month

ISA advice from Martin Lewis

Thu, February 9, 2017

ISA advice from Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis.

There’s limited stock, particularly for the S8, so if it’s right for you, go quick. Unshackled says it gets new deliveries every weekday and if it runs out you’ll be invited to register and contacted within 24 hours of new stock arriving. The code will remain valid for a ‘limited’ time after.

Mobile prices change hourly, but these were the cheapest we could find from a UK-based retailer. You’ll get a full UK manufacturer’s warranty, so if something goes wrong you can take the handset to the nearest Samsung of Apple store (or authorised repair centre).

‘Certified pre-owned’ iPhones are the gold standard of reforms - refurbished by Apple to a very high standard (often they’ve never been used), but for a lower price. If you’re happy to go with an older model, even just from last year, you can save big.

Until Tuesday 9 May, use code MSE40 at Unshackled.com to get £40 off its ‘certified pre-owned’ iPhones (when you click through, select ‘outright’).

After the discount you’ll pay £399 for a 16GB iPhone 6s, £459 for a 16GB iPhone 6s Plus, £559 for a 64GB iPhone 6s Plus, £439 for a 64GB iPhone 6 or £409 for a 16GB iPhone 6 Plus. They come with original box and accessories, 12 months Apple warranty and next working day delivery. (Again, if you get the deal via a cashback site Unshacked says you won’t get any cashback).

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Martin Lewis: Always check the best sim-only deals

Can’t afford to buy the phone upfront? Spread the cost interest-free

While it’s usually the cheapest way to buy, many balk at having to pay £100s upfront. Yet there are other ways to spread the cost which are usually much cheaper than a contract.

Buy it upfront on a 0 per cent spending credit card: This is a free way to spread the cost - you can currently get up to 30 interest-free months (see our 0 per cent card best buys). Always make minimum repayments and clear it before the 0 per cent ends.

Interest-Free iPhone 7 deal: Apple’s running an ongoing deal to spread the cost of the iPhone 7 over 20 months - if you’re approved. However, it’s at full price - £50 more than our blagged deal above.

Get a low interest rate with mobile financing: If you can’t get approved for a 0 per cent deal, specialist movie finance providers loan you money for a handset at a cost - Unshackled if one, and our blagged codes work on its finance plans too. These usually beat most contracts, but always do a comparison.